Effect of optical feedback noise on tunable diode laser spectroscopy

The effect of optical feedback noise of a laser diode on the stability of gas-absorption spectra was investigated by monitoring the optical absorption of CO₂ gas. Lasing longitudinal mode instability greatly degraded the shape of the absorption spectra, and coherence collapse in the laser diode greatly broadened the spectra. The correlation between the optical feedback noise of the laser diode and the shape of the gas-absorption spectra was clarified on the basis of these spectral behaviors. PACS 42.62.Fi; 42.55.Px; 42.68.Ca     

Fiber-optic ring-down spectroscopy using a tunable picosecond gain-switched diode laser

Visible and near-infrared laser light pulses were coupled into two different types of optical fiber cavities. One cavity consisted of a short strand of fiber waveguide that contained two identical fiber Bragg gratings. Another cavity was made using a loop of optical fiber. In either cavity ∼40 ps laser pulses, which were generated using a custom-built gain-switched diode laser, circulated for a large number of round trips. The optical loss of either cavity was determined from the ring-down times. Cavity ring-down spectroscopy was performed on 200 pL volumes of liquid samples that were injected into the cavities using a 100 μm gap in the fiber loop. A detection limit of 20 ppm of methylene blue dye in aqueous solution, corresponding to a minimum absorptivity of εC<6 cm^-1, was realized. PACS 42.62.Fi; 42.81.-i     

Low-noise, tunable diode laser for ultra-high-resolution spectroscopy

We demonstrate the excellent spectral properties of a diode laser setup that combines good tunability with superb short-term frequency stability and controllability. It is based on merging two concepts, the diode laser with resonant optical feedback and the grating stabilized diode laser. To characterize the short-term performance we beat two essentially identical diode lasers and find a short-term linewidth of ~11 kHz. Phase locking between these lasers is achieved with a servo bandwidth as small as 46 kHz, although an analog phase detector is used that requires subradian residual phase error. Despite small phase error detection range and small servo bandwidth, cycle-slip-free phase locking is accomplished for typically many 10 min, and the optical power is essentially contained in a spectral window of less than 20 mHz relative to the optical reference. Due to the excellent performance this laser concept is well suited for atomic or molecular coherence experiments, which require phase locking of different lasers to each other, and as part of a flywheel for optical clocks.     

Self-mixing interference effects in tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy

We report the effects of self-mixing interference on gas detection using tunable diode laser spectroscopy. For very weak feedback, the laser diode output intensity gains a sinusoidal modulation analogous to that caused by low finesse etalons in the optical path. Our experiments show that self-mixing interference can arise from both specular reflections (e.g. cell windows) and diffuse reflections (e.g. Spectralon^™ and retroreflective tape), potentially in a wider range of circumstances than etalon-induced interference. The form and magnitude of the modulation is shown to agree with theory. We have quantified the effect of these spurious signals on methane detection using wavelength modulation spectroscopy and discuss the implications for real gas detectors.     

Multipass optical cell based upon two cylindrical mirrors for tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy

A compact multipass optical cell based upon a front cylindrical mirror with a central input/output hole and a rear cylindrical mirror is described for application to tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. Rotation of the rear cylindrical mirror and small variations of the cell base length (∼110 mm) have been used to achieve different spot patterns and path lengths. CO₂ and CH₄ direct absorption measurements using the developed cell with a fibre-coupled distributed-feedback laser at 1605.5 nm have been performed. A noise-equivalent absorption sensitivity of 2.5×10^-8 cm^-1 Hz^-1/2 has been determined for 138 passes in the cell and averaging of 2000 consecutive scans within 1.93 s. PACS 42.55.Px; 39.30.+w; 42.62.Fi; 42.60.-v     

High-sensitivity transient spectroscopy using tunable diode lasers

Experimental techniques have been developed to monitor transient infrared absorptions using lead-salt tunable diode lasers. The techniques are easily implemented, yield sensitivities which are limited by detector noise at 10^–5 level of absorbance, and have a response time on the order of one microsecond. The transient absorption detection techniques are high frequency versions of the sweep integration technique pioneered by Jennings [Appl. Opt.19, 2695 (1980)]. TDL modulation rates of 100 kHz and 500 kHz allow for absorption sampling rates of 200 kHz and 1 MHz, respectively. In order to reproducibly achieve near-detector-noise-limited sensitivities for 100 kHz TDL modulation rates, an automated analog subtraction circuit has been developed which removes the effects of minor TDL power variations. At the 500 kHz modulation rate, digital filtering techniques are used to remove the effects of this power variation.     

基于可调谐半导体激光器吸收光谱的温度测量方法研究

介绍了基于半导体激光器作光源的吸收光谱测温技术研究和开发集成的系统,利用H₂O在1.4μm附近的吸收线对的线强比值来反演温度.介绍了该系统在实验室管式高温上的标定和开放炉管的测量验证,结果显示各设置温度下测量温度波动平均在50 K左右.之后在CH₄/空气预混平焰炉上进行进一步验证,发现在吸收线7153.7 cm^-1长波一侧出现了HITRAN08中未给出的几条H₂O吸收和该吸收线重叠.HITEMP中在这些波长上有对应的吸收线给出,但对另一条选用的吸收7154.354 cm^-1,给出的可对应吸收线中心频率和测量不一致.根据实验测量结果和HITRAN/HIlTEMP的对比,对选择吸收线对的位置和线强等参数继续采用实验室标定结果,并引入HlTEMP中给出的这些高温下表现出来的吸收线参数,在平焰炉不同当量比状态下做了测量对比.     

基于可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱的瓦斯监测方法研究

瓦斯爆炸是煤矿安全的主要威胁,对瓦斯气体浓度进行准确、快速、实时监测和预警是治理瓦斯灾害的有效手段。实验研究了近红外半导体激光吸收光谱技术在煤矿瓦斯气体安全检测中的应用。系统光源采用的是1.65μm波长的近红外可调谐DFB激光器,使用了波长调制和二次谐波检测技术,通过光纤进行信号传输。系统检测限低于0.09%,气体浓度的检测速度最高可达到0.02s。研究表明:该技术具有实时、连续、快速、非接触检测的特点;现场无带电部件,具有多点分布式遥测的能力,能够满足煤矿瓦斯安全检测的要求。     

可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱监测农田气体通量特性研究

可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱(TDLAS)具有高选择性,高灵敏度等特性,非常适合监测农田痕量气体交换过程。采用开放式光程的可调半导体激光吸收光谱和非分散红外光谱技术,在封丘农田进行了一个月监测试验。选择CO2作为目标气体,用两种不同光谱技术选择不同的通量计算方法,分别获取农田排放通量。根据实验条件,提出了TDLAS的通量印痕模型,对比分析了两种技术的空间代表性特性,同时分析了数据误差来源和不同外界因素对通量测量的影响特性。结果发现在相同的气象条件下,仪器架设高度越高,光学路径越长,开放光路的TDLAS通量贡献区就越大。这些结果对通量监测中仪器安装有很好的指导意义。     

基于可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱技术的高速气流流速测量方法研究

以激光Doppler效应为原理,结合可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱技术的窄线宽、可调谐优势, 可实现高速气流流速的实时在线检测.介绍了流速测量的基本原理和方法,搭建了双光路流速测量系统, 利用DFB激光器对位于1398 nm处的水汽吸收线进行10 kHz快速扫描,获得高速气流的实时光谱信息, 并根据两路吸光度曲线之间的Doppler频移来反演气流流速.介绍了频率标定和Doppler频移测量的方法. 在风洞上进行了流速测量验证性实验,将流速测量结果与理论计算结果进行了对比,二者之间符合得较好, 初步证明了该方法的可行性.分析了系统的性能及可能引起流速测量误差的因素,以便系统进一步优化.     

Gas cells for tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy employing optical diffusers. Part 2: Integrating spheres

We have studied the effects of random laser speckle and self-mixing interference on TDLS based gas measurements made using integrating spheres. Details of the theory and TDLS apparatus are given in Part 1 of this paper and applied here to integrating spheres. Experiments have been performed using two commercial integrating spheres with diameters of 50 mm and 100 mm for the detection of methane at 1651 nm. We have calculated the expected levels of laser speckle related uncertainty, considered to be the fundamental limiting noise, and imaged subjective laser speckle in a sphere using different sized apertures. For wavelength modulation spectroscopy, noise equivalent absorbances (NEAs) of around 5×10^?5 were demonstrated in both cases, corresponding to limits of detection of 1.2 ppm methane and 0.4 ppm methane respectively. Longer-term drift was found to be at an NEA of 4×10^?4. This lies within our broad range of expectations. For a direct spectral scan with no wavelength dither, a limit of detection of 75 ppm or fractional measured power uncertainty of 3×10^?3 corresponded well with our prediction for the objective speckle uncertainty.     

Multimode diode laser correlation spectroscopy using gas-filled porous materials for pathlength enhancement

A novel pathlength enhancement approach has been applied in multimode diode laser correlation spectroscopy measurements of gas concentrations. Reference and sample gas cells made of porous polystyrene foam and alumina ceramic, respectively, were employed in proof-of-principle measurements of molecular oxygen. Equivalent pathlengths of 164 and 52?cm were obtained for the reference and sample cells with physical pathlengths of 4 and 1?cm, respectively. With a measurement time of 60?s, a physical-pathlength-integrated sensitivity of 15?ppm?m was achieved with an enhancement of more than one order of magnitude compared with an open-air setup. Practical application aspects were investigated including gas cell size and light alignment tolerance. This generic approach for pathlength enhancement provides advantages in terms of compactness and robustness.     

基于可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱的酒精蒸汽检测方法

采用窄带半导体激光器开展了酒精蒸汽浓度检测方法研究.使用酒精分子在7180 cm-1附近的一个相对较窄的吸收峰作为酒精分子的鉴别信息.为消除水汽对酒精分子检测的干扰,提出了建立多元线性回归方程拟合求解多分子吸收共存的问题.实验表明,系统的检测限达到25 ppm·m.     

可调谐二极管激光吸收光谱技术参数选择及优化

可调谐二极管激光吸收光谱技术(TDLAS)系统性能受调制参数,如调制度、调制频率、扫描幅度及扫描频率影响,实际测量中各参数不存在明确的选择依据。针对此问题,文章在一定的理论基础上通过实验分别观察各调制参数对二次谐波信号的影响,通过分析检测信号的特征,如幅值、信噪比、对称性及峰宽得出其变化规律,总结出在不同系统功能和需求下系统各调制参数的优化依据及方法。系统在计算浓度和温度时应优先考虑幅值和信噪比,从而使调制度达到最佳值,调制频率和扫描频率取较小值;在线形推导压强时优先考虑信号的对称性和峰宽,根据计算的具体要求确定调制参数;扫描幅度的确定以得到完整谐波信号为准;再根据系统的速度和精度需求调整扫描频率。该研究为此类系统工作状态的确定提供了实验依据。     

Influence of laser intensity in second-harmonic detection with tunable diode laser multi-pass absorption spectroscopy

Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy （TDLAS） has been widely employed in atmospheric trace gases detection. The ratio of the second-harmonic signal to the intensity of laser beam incident to the multi-pass cell is proved to be proportional to the product of the path length and the gas concentration under any condition. A new calibration method based on this relation in TDLAS system for the measurement of trace gas concentration is proposed for the first time. The detection limit and the sensitivity of the system are below 110 and 31ppbv （parts-per-billion in volume）, respectively.     

可调谐二极管激光吸收光谱测量真空环境下气体温度的理论与实验研究

真空环境不仅会导致热电偶等温度传感器表面材料解吸,而且其传热机理也与常压不同,因此采用常压下校准和溯源的温度传感器测量真空环境下气体温度存在诸多不确定性问题,为此,本文利用可调谐二极管激光吸收光谱技术(TDLAS)测量真空环境下气体温度,探索TDLAS温度测量技术在真空环境下的应用前景,在模拟热真空实验过程中,首先将真空气室浸没于恒温槽中,然后利用TDLAS测量真空气室中气体温度,同时利用一等标准铂电阻测量恒温槽的温度,试验结果表明:TDLAS和一等标准铂电阻测量得到的气体温度和恒温槽温度具有高度的一致性,两者之间的误差在恒温槽温度稳定时不超过±0.2℃。     

Gas cells for tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy employing optical diffusers. Part 1: single and dual pass cells

New designs for gas cells are presented that incorporate transmissive or reflective optical diffusers. These components offer simple alignment and can disrupt the formation of optical etalons. We analyse the performance–limiting effects in these cells of random laser speckle (both objective and subjective speckle), interferometric speckle and self-mixing interference, and show how designs can be optimised. A simple, single pass transmissive gas cell has been studied using wavelength modulation spectroscopy to measure methane at 1651 nm. We have demonstrated a short-term noise equivalent absorbance (NEA, 1σ) of 2×10⁻⁵, but longer term drift of up to 3×10⁻⁴ over 22 hours.     

可调谐激光吸收光谱应用于气体二维浓度分布重建研究

基于可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱技术(TDLAS),设计了气体浓度二维分布重建系统。将单路可调谐激光分为24路,交叉穿过目标区域,得到24组直接吸收信号(DA),并采用代数迭代法(ART)计算得到目标区域气体浓度二维分布。搭建了二维气体浓度分布测量试验台,利用中心波长在1.653μm的DFB激光器作为光源,选取HITRAN数据库CH4的2v3带R(3)线作为计算谱线进行数值模拟和试验验证,并对重建结果进行了误差分析。结果表明重建系统能很好的实现气体二维浓度分布重建测量。